Proverbs 1:28Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

It will be that when you cry out, I will not listen. And as stated in Isaiah: When you extend your hands toward me, I will hide my face from you (Isaiah 1:15).

What is meant by the various statements in Scripture where it says that they shall call, and I will not respond to them? It is mentioned about those who do not seek God (Psalm 52:5). They call, but not to the Lord. One can certainly call upon the one they cherish; one can call upon the one they invite into their lives, the one whose presence they long for. Conversely, if you petition God for riches, for possessions, or for earthly glory, you are indeed calling upon the one whose arrival you desire; yet, you will discover that God may assist your greed rather than hear your plea. God is benevolent when He grants you your wishes. However, if your desires are for wicked things, would it not be a greater kindness for Him to deny you those?

The Lord's admonition serves a vital purpose. Therefore, through the words of David, He declares, ‘They have not kept the covenant of God, and have refused to walk in His law’ (Psalm 77:10; LXX). This disobedience is the reason for His indignation; as a result, the Judge arrives with the retribution for those who reject the righteous path. Thus, He confronts them with even firmer admonitions, seeking to deter them from their course and rescue them from destruction. In this way, He will discern whether they return to Him out of reverence, after having previously taken His mercy lightly.

They will call out to me, but I will not respond; from dawn until dusk, they will seek me and fail to find me. In their desperation, they cry for the door to be opened, compelled by their sorrow, as they implore the Lord, saying, "Lord, open the door for us" (Matthew 25:11). "Lord, open to us" (Matthew 25:11). They lift up prayers, yet they are regarded as strangers, for in that moment, the Lord does not recognize them as His own due to their transgressions.

What justification is there for merely appealing when all are accountable for their actions? This notion is contradicted by the reality that we do not experience the full extent of the repercussions of our deeds, and God endures far greater suffering due to our actions than we do because of Him. Nonetheless, let us maintain the same attitude we had at the start. The Lord affirms: I cried unto you, and ye heard me not; and ye cried unto me, and I heard you not (Zechariah 7:13). Is there anything more fitting or truthful? We have failed to listen—thus, we are not heard. We have been negligent—therefore, we are not cared for.

The retribution faced by the unrighteous, which occurs during their earthly existence and culminates particularly at the moment of death, will ultimately lead them to seek Divine Wisdom, or God, with a request for forgiveness. Yet, by then, it will be too late. They may call on Him, but He will turn away; they will search for Him and find no trace. This does not reflect a deficiency in God’s mercy but rather stems from the insincerity of their pleas, which will not come from genuine willingness but from coercion. Their outcries to God will lack true repentance for their transgressions or an awareness of their own vile acts, focusing instead solely on the agony of His anger.